The definition of insanity

He donated it to make "Berley".  I Googled it too, and that's just sick.   

If it was a big tuna it would be different because presumably it wouldn't be turned to burley but would actually be eaten by people, but it would still be a damn shame.

Spearfishermen are a unique breed.  They work very hard for their goals, are in much more potential danger than most of the rest of us recreators, and they're usually equipped with a strong sense of responsibility and respect for the resources.  I would attribute this to the fact that, if they're any good, they learn very quickly that their sport leads to the death of an animal immediately upon their pulling the trigger.  This guy appears to be trigger happy...

What AB said.

Being attached to a bleeding dying marlin 2 miles out to sea is ballsy at best, suicidally stupid at worst. He had to have been close to winning a Darwin award.

FYI http://www.darwinawards.com/

Z

If the fish was a 300# yellowfin tuna, would your responses be different.  Just curious ...

-Allen

A little bit, yes, because he might actually eat the tuna rather than just turn it into chum.

My biggest problem with it tho is, as Greg points out, he's basically making himself bait for sharks. How many hooked billfish get lost to sharks? Being attached to a bleeding dying marlin 2 miles out to sea is ballsy at best, suicidally stupid at worst. He had to have been close to winning a Darwin award.

What if he had eaten the marlin?

Was this an area with a lot of sharks?

-Allen

on the other hand what he did was no different than what any other trophy fishermen does

They aren't too high on my list either. I wouldn't exactly say "no different." At least the trophy hunter would use the body as ornamentation and use it to beautify his environs for many days to come. I think grinding  it into chum can only be looked at a maybe helping him to catch another fish... maybe. Far more wasteful IMO.

hemmingway would've drunk this guy a toast

Although a great writer and a man's man, I wouldn't call Hemmingway a genius in all respects.

Z

on the other hand what he did was no different than what any other trophy fishermen does

They aren't too high on my list either. I wouldn't exactly say "no different." At least the trophy hunter would use the body as ornamentation and use it to beautify his environs for many days to come. I think grinding  it into chum can only be looked at a maybe helping him to catch another fish... maybe. Far more wasteful IMO.

Ummm ... he took a mold to make a mount.

-Allen

What if he had eaten the marlin?

He didn't tho' did he? What's your point?

Was this an area with a lot of sharks?

Yes.
patrol.com.au/index.pl?page=68

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/lake-illawarra-shark-attack-not-a-surprise-resident/1405107.aspx


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/shark-attacks-snorkeller-at-windang/1404799.aspx

http://www.smh.com.au/national/fears-missing-swimmer-taken-by-shark-20090312-8vl3.html

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/aerial-patrol-spots-windang-bull-shark/1453475.aspx

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/national/national/general/something-to-chew-on-waves-or-sharks/1448371.aspx

Just trying to understand the comments here.  Seems a bit harsh ...

So a guy was in the water with a bloody fish.  Obviously he spearfishes the area.  So is getting towed by the marlin any worse than spending an hour session spearfishing somewhere else in the area?  I just don't get the darwin award comments.

And there are lot's of "sportfishermen" that waste their catch.  I don't condone it nor would I have done it.  But it happens time and time again.  Does this guy deserve to be singled out in this fashion?

Come on, the guy speared a big fish.  Did it turn out the way he thought it would when he pulled the trigger?  Probably not.  But he's got a hell of a story to tell.

-Allen

Ummm ... he took a mold to make a mount.

-Allen

Did not catch that. Geez... (to self) read the whole damn thing ya idgit!!
Yeah, then I agree w/ BK.

Z

Just trying to understand the comments here.  Seems a bit harsh ...

So a guy was in the water with a bloody fish.  Obviously he spearfishes the area.  So is getting towed by the marlin any worse than spending an hour session spearfishing somewhere else in the area?  I just don't get the darwin award comments.

And there are lot's of "sportfishermen" that waste their catch.  I don't condone it nor would I have done it.  But it happens time and time again.  Does this guy deserve to be singled out in this fashion?

Come on, the guy speared a big fish.  Did it turn out the way he thought it would when he pulled the trigger?  Probably not.  But he's got a hell of a story to tell.

-Allen

The guy dived in the water, shot the marlin, and was dragged out to sea. Once the fish was dead, he had to yell to be rescued. ie; he was nowhere near his boat nor the shore, and he was attached to a big, bleeding, dead piece of shark food. I don't think that's very clever.

As for "wasting" his catch. Sure, other people do it. They're not in the paper telling the world that they turned a marlin to chum. Whether you or I agree with it is not really the point, it's gold-plated propaganda for people that would like to eliminate sportfishing.

I'm not trying to pick a fight  , but I think he's been pretty dumb. He might have a hell of a story, but when he tells it to the people who care about him, I suspect they will not be impressed at all!

it's gold-plated propaganda for people that would like to eliminate sportfishing.

That's for sure.

Z

The guy dived in the water, shot the marlin, and was dragged out to sea. Once the fish was dead, he had to yell to be rescued. ie; he was nowhere near his boat nor the shore, and he was attached to a big, bleeding, dead piece of shark food. I don't think that's very clever.

Yes, this guy was a dumbass for not letting go.  But sometimes that glimmer of hope prevails over reason.  That's part of the allure of it all, isn't it?

I'm sure when Howard hooked his marlin, he wasn't thinking that he'd get pulled 12 miles or be on it for 4.5 hours.  Yet, that was a hell of a deal, wasn't it?

As for "wasting" his catch. Sure, other people do it. They're not in the paper telling the world that they turned a marlin to chum. Whether you or I agree with it is not really the point, it's gold-plated propaganda for people that would like to eliminate sportfishing.

Any bloody trophy shot is propaganda for people that would like to eliminate sportfishing.  I got a lot of shit for the shark thing, so maybe I'm a bit over sensitive here.

I'm not trying to pick a fight  , but I think he's been pretty dumb. He might have a hell of a story, but when he tells it to the people who care about him, I suspect they will not be impressed at all!

We're not fighting NB, are we?  I hope not.  

-Allen

Sometimes it takes a bigger man to NOT pull the trigger. Trophy hunting for large predators will soon be a thing of the past, either when we kill them all or when we wise up.

Ummm ... he took a mold to make a mount.

Could've taken a photo for that.

If the fish was a 300# yellowfin tuna, would your responses be different.  Just curious ...

-Allen

 Exactly my point.The guy did something very different than most people. Bluewater divers do the same stuff. Just different species. Why is everyone crying so much. Join PETA for cryin' out loud.

Sometimes it takes a bigger man to NOT pull the trigger. Trophy hunting for large predators will soon be a thing of the past, either when we kill them all or when we wise up.

 I really don't think this guy is going to wipe out the marlin population. How many Mexican skippers tell thier clients to have the marlin stuffed. It has happened to me evry time I have been out and caught a marlin in Mexico. Now no more tropys for you guys complaining ok? You want a trophy ten inch abalone? Forget it. It's not worth it. Take the small ones . Really!

Ummm ... he took a mold to make a mount.

Could've taken a photo for that.

Yeah I know.

But he already shot it!!!   

-Allen